There is an increasing demand for reliable submersible electrical cable connectors for use in oceanic military applications, including submarines and other submersible vehicles, in underwater research and exploration applications, in ocean mining applications, and in offshore oil drilling applications. In designing submersible electrical cable connectors, several factors must be considered.
One factor that must be considered in designing a submersible electrical cable connector is the connector's ability to withstand increasingly high pressures as underwater depth levels increase. High pressures can crush or otherwise deform electrical cable connectors that are not properly designed to withstand such pressures. One way to overcome the effect of high pressures is to equalize the pressure by filling the connector with a pressure equalizing fluid, such as oil. Pressure equalization minimizes the effects of the water pressure on the connector. It is important that the oil be used once the connector is in actual use and that the oil be easily introduced into and removed from the connector. One way to do this is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,578 to Klassen et al. The connector disclosed in the preferred embodiments of that patent, however, relies upon a single wave spring both to introduce oil throughout the connector and to establish a valid electrical connection. This single-spring design has disadvantages concerning long-term reliability.
A second factor to be considered is the ease in establishing a valid and efficient connection and the ability to maintain that connection under increased pressures. Most submersible connectors use a pin/socket assembly found in conventional land-based electrical cable connectors. The pin/socket assembly is usually encased and sealed and may be surrounded by oil in order to prevent deformities resulting from high water pressures. One such connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,083 to Seilhan et al. As shown in FIG. 4 of that patent, the connector relies upon a traditional pin/socket assembly requiring that the pins be aligned with the holes in the socket for a valid connection to be established.
One disadvantage of this type of arrangement is that it is often difficult to align the traditional pin/socket assembly, as the pins and socket require exact angular alignment. Moreover, under increasing pressures, the pins in a traditional pin/socket assembly may become distorted or misaligned, making a valid connection difficult or impossible.
One way to avoid these disadvantages is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,578 to Klassen et al. This patent discloses a submersible electrical cable connector having a cable-side connector assembly and a receptacle-side connector assembly. The cable-side connector assembly has a flex circuit comprising a circular head having a plurality of pins arranged in a symmetrically shaped configuration. The receptacle-side connector assembly has a molded contact conductor comprising a number of concentric conductive rings with insulating material positioned between each ring. Each concentric conductive ring makes a physical and electrical connection with at least one of the pins when the cable-side connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly are coupled together. The connector included in the preferred embodiments of that patent, however, relies upon a single wave spring both to introduce oil throughout the connector and to establish a valid electrical connection for each of the pins. This single-spring design has disadvantages concerning long-term reliability.
Accordingly, it is desired to have a submersible connector that is easy to connect, maintains its connectivity after extensive use underwater, and avoids the disadvantages of the prior art connectors discussed above. The present invention satisfies this need.